Dreams
by the-marauders-girl
Summary: What inspired Charlie Weasley to go after dragons, when it is so unheard of? Who helped him realize his dream?...A quick drabble done at 2 in the morning when the idea just popped into my mind, woke me up, and didn't leave until I finished.


"Well Weasley, what have you had in mind?" Professor Minerva McGonagall said to the last student she had for career advice that year.

The fifth year red-head shifted slightly in his seat and said, "I don't know Professor."

Professor McGonagall fought the urge to laugh out loud. "No childhood dreams that you might have had when you were younger?"

"No ma'am."

"Did you read the pamphlets? All of them?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And nothing is sounding appealing to you?"

"No ma'am."

"Then, Weasley, we have a problem. I can't help you if you don't take the first step."

"I know ma'am."

McGonagall now fought the urge to groan. "What are some of the things that you enjoy to do? Some of the things that you are good at?"

"Well, I'm a good Seeker, and I love Quidditch."

"Would you want to consider that as a career?"

"No, I wouldn't." McGonagall shot him a curious look. "Quidditch is a game. I can lose that spot in an instant. And I won't have anywhere to go."

"What else?"

"I love Care of Magical Creatures," Charlie said, looking outside wistfully, "Just being outside."

"Why don't we try to find you a job that has you working outside with animals?"

Charlie perked up at this. "You mean there is a good paying job that would allow me to do that."

"Of course Weasley. I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore about getting you some information brochures."

"What classes would I have to take next year?"

"Care of Magical Creatures, most obviously. I would advise Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration."

"Yes Professor! I'll work hard on those!"

McGonagall took a look at the paper that contained Charlie's grades. "Just keep the standard you have in Care of Magical Creatures and you'll do fine there. Charms you just have to stay on top of your level. Potions you'll need some more work there-you're maintaining an Acceptable; Professor Slughorn wants Exceeds Expectations. And, Transfiguration."

Charlie winced and looked at his feet. "I have to work on that, I know Professor."

"You're wavering between a Poor and an Acceptable. I don't accept anything less than Exceeds Expectations. Work on your Transfiguration the most, but keep up your grades up where they are." Charlie nodded. "I'm sure your brother would be willing to help you with Transfiguration."

"No he wouldn't. He's going to be too busy with his N.E.W.Ts to think about me. He has to have top grades to become a curse breaker, as he's told me many times."

"I'm sure he'll help you. Just tell him that it would look good on a resume, tutoring."

"Okay Professor, thank-you."

"You're welcome Weasley. For now, worry about where your marks stand and passing the required examinations. Then, think about which animal you'd like to specify with."

"Yes ma'am." Charlie stood up.

"Good luck Mr. Weasley."

Charlie nodded and left her office, his mind buzzing with what he could do once he's left Hogwarts.

Charlie sat on his bed at the Burrow, looking out the window of his room. Loud bangs were heard from somewhere downstairs. He ignored it, as he knew that his mother would scold Fred and George for whatever they did. He heard a small knock at the door. "Hello?"

"Charlie? Are you there?" A young girl's voice said.

"Yeah," Charlie said, rolling his eyes.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure." The door creaked open, and a little red-headed girl came in. "What's wrong Ginny?"

"Fred and George were teasing me and pulling on my hair."

Charlie grabbed one of her braids and gave it a small tug. "Like that?"

Ginny sniffed. "Yeah."

"Well, Snapdragon, there's nothing I can do about them. What do you want me to do?"

"Can I have a dragon ride?"

Charlie groaned. "Okay, just one." He picked her up on his back and jogged a couple of laps around his room. Ginny squealed and giggled on his back. He fell onto his bed, and she let go of him.

"You're a good dragon, Charlie," Ginny said, sitting up, "You should be one when you're all grown up."

"I can't be a dragon, Gin."

"Well, you should work with them," Ginny said, matter-of-factly, hopping of his bed.

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes I am. Thank-you Charlie."

"No problem Snapdragon."

"Hey Charlie," Bill said to his younger brother in the Three Broomsticks. He sat down with Charlie, and took a drink of butterbeer. "What's happening with you?"

"What are you doing here?" Charlie asked.

"I was in the country, and figured I'd stop in and see my favorite brother."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Mum won't like your hair."

"I know," Bill said, grinning, "It's going to be longer. I want to have a ponytail."

Charlie looked at the stubby ponytail and grinned. "You can have fun listen to her moan and groan."

"She'll love it once she sees this." Bill pulled the left side of his hair back and Charlie was amazed to see a fang hanging from his ear.

"An earring?! Mum's going to kill you!"

Bill shrugged. "I don't care. I've learnt thousands of curses that aren't that pleasant." Charlie rolled his eyes. "So, what are you going to do when you leave Hogwarts next month?"

"Work with animals."

"Which animals?"

"I dunno. Why do you care?"

"Because, I'm your older brother. You have to make a decision soon, or you'll be living at home for quite a while."

"Whatever."

Bill took another drink, and began to tell Charlie a story about what happened the other day in the underground of Gringotts. "They were wild! Breathing fire all over the place!"

"What was?"

"Weren't you listening to me? The dragons guarding the real high security vaults. Hey, don't you remember when you and me were kids and we said we'd work at Gringotts together. I'd break the curses, and you'd make sure the dragons didn't burn me?"

Charlie chuckled, remembering when he and Bill were five and seven, and the only other kid was baby Percy.

"Look, I'd better go," Bill said, standing up, "Mum invited me for supper, and I don't want to be late."

Charlie watched his brother leave the pub. Suddenly, he stood up, knocking down his mug of butterbeer, and ran out of the pub, pushing people out of the way.

Professor McGonagall was sitting at her desk, marking essays from her seventh year Transfiguration class. She smiled slightly when she saw Charlie Weasley now earning Outstanding on each essay and test. He really improved with his brother's help.

Someone on the other side of the door knocked three times. "Come in," She called.

The door opened and Charlie Weasley came back in, still short, stocky, and broad, with his hair as vividly red as ever. "Hello Professor," He said.

"Weasley. I was just marking your essay-well done, again."

He blushed slightly. "Thanks."

"What brings you here?"

"I've decided on what animal I'd like to work with."

"Animal?"

"When I leave," Charlie said excitedly, "Bill was just talking to me, and he gave me the idea."

"Well, what animal?"

"Dragons."

McGonagall stared at her student with wide eyes. "Dragons? But, they've all been evacuated from the country for years."

"So, I'll leave England. Bill's in Romania with Gringotts right now. I can go there too-there's dragons there!"

"Well, if you're so sure about this Weasley, I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore and he'll see if he can find some contacts for you."

"Thank-you Professor, thank-you!" Charlie cried. He stood up and walked to the door of her office. "Thank-you Professor!" He left the room, slamming the door behind him.

It was then that Professor McGonagall found a new strange career that she never thought one of her students would pursue.

Professor McGonagall watched as young Harry Potter flew around the dragon trying to get the golden egg, being forcibly reminded of Charlie Weasley. She breathed a sigh of relief when he had the egg, and a dozen men came out and stunned the Hungarian Horntail.

When all the dragons were packed up and ready to go, one man walked over to her. She watched, astounded, as she recognized the stocky, broad form of the second Weasley she taught. "Hey Professor," He said.

She shook his rough, tanned hand. "Well Weasley, I see you're still in Romania."

"Yep. It's great. Although, it took me awhile to get the language down pat. I couldn't understand a word anyone said. Anyway, I just came to thank you for all you did for me. I never realized how much you actually did for me until you were gone. And, for finding me this dragon colony. It's been so, so good."

"You're welcome Weasley," She said, nodding.

Another man yelled something in Romanian, none of which she understood between his accent and the foreign language. Charlie yelled something back to him, then turned to McGonagall again. "Well, that's my call. I'd best be off. We have to transport all these dragons back, and they do not like port-keys."

McGonagall nodded. "Very well. Congratulations Weasley. Good luck with the dragons."

"Thanks Professor."

Charlie turned around, and began yelling in Romanian. Other people moved around at his command. He went and grabbed onto the cage of the rampaging Hungarian Horntail, and in the blink of an eye, the cage and everyone touching it disappeared.

Charlie grinned as he went into his room in the dormitory. There could be nothing wrong with his life now. He had his dragons, his family, and he was happy. He had achieved his dreams, and that's all that was important-to him, at least.


End file.
